North Texas Seeing Spike In RSV Cases Among Children

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Marantha Sneed said she and her grandchildren are not easing up on safety measures even if others around her are.

"I can't control what everyone else does but that why mine will wear masks," she said.

She's still concerned about Covid-19, but said her biggest worry is her family catching RSV.

RSV is a repertory illness that's recently hit hundreds of North Texas families.

It causes cold symptoms and lower repertory infections.

"It's unfortunate things are happening the way they are and we should take precautions, period," Sneed said.

Pediatricians say Texas is experiencing a rare summer surge of cases. This illness is usually seen in the winter like the flu.

More than 200 kids in the Dallas-Fort Worth area have tested positive in the last week.

Dr. Justin Smith is a pediatrician at Cook Children's Hospital.

He says this spike is a result of many people getting out again and not wearing masks.

"All of the just common illnesses that had been kind of kept at bay due to masks and social distancing, you know some of those we were going to see when some of those things ended and slowed down," Dr. Smith said.

He said he's concerned a second surge may happen in the winter.

"Who knew we were going to see RSV in June? I think we need to be prepared for another round of RSV and flu at the normal times next year particularly with things getting more back to normal," he said.

RSV is especially dangerous for infants but more common in older children.

A letter was sent to parents at Xplore preschool in Mansfield telling parents a student tested positive and to be cautious.

Some parents say they're not worried.

"Right now I feel like I don't have any concern," Courtney Garcia said.

Symptoms of RSV can include coughing, wheezing, rapid breathing, runny nose or congestion, fever and difficulty breathing.